This Chicken Bacon Ranch Panini is fast, fresh, and ready in no time. Loaded with tender chunks of chicken, crisp bacon, fresh spinach, Havarti cheese, and a garlic ranch dressing, this sandwich is packed with flavor and makes the perfect, easy meal!
And just like that, it’s January!
I feel like the last few months have been pushed through like the fast forward feature on TV and DVDs…everything is going 3 times the speed and not slowing down!
And you know what? Life isn’t going to get any slower, but I know you know that. It’s something that I have to remind myself of every day…and to try to live more “in the moment.” That can be so hard when it’s natural to keep planning for things to come. But, it’s one of my goals (not resolution!) for the new year. To appreciate what I have, right here, right now.
Woohoo…who’s excited? It’s the first Thursday of 2017, which means that I’ve got an easy and oh-so delicious recipe that take just 30 minutes (or in this case, about 10 minutes) to make. Hopefully that’ll make your day just a little bit better!
And, it’s a panini. Because, let’s face it, paninis are the rock star of sandwiches in my book! Ok, that and grilled cheese sandwiches. But, you get the point.
This Chicken Bacon Ranch Panini is fast, fresh, and ready in no time. Loaded with tender chunks of chicken, crisp bacon, fresh spinach, Havarti cheese, and a garlic ranch dressing, this sandwich is packed with flavor and makes the perfect, easy meal!
And we could all use a few more easy meals, am I right? Sandwiches are one of those dishes that I never get tired of. I could eat them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. With endless possibilities, such as different types of breads, meats, and cheeses, what’s not to love?
That’s why this Chicken Bacon Ranch Panini is the best of both worlds. It’s not fast, but it’s so simple to make and very easy to customize depending on your tastes.
Since I love anything with ranch and fresh veggies, I decided to make the classic chicken bacon ranch combo. And it did not disappoint! The key to a good panini is the bread, at least in my opinion. You want to choose a thicker kind that won’t fall apart once it’s in the panini press. My go-to bread for paninis is sourdough, but anything thicker type bread will work.
Now, let’s talk about those ingredients! I used sliced, fresh chicken that I found in the lunch meat aisle of my grocery store. You just pop it out of the container, and it’s ready to go! But, if you prefer to cook your chicken and then slice it, or use a rotisserie style, go for it.
Then comes that dressing. I used a garlic ranch dressing that I found at my grocery store, but if you can’t find that, any type of garlic dressing will do. And the cheese. Let’s not forget about the cheese! Havarti is one of my favorites, so I loaded it on this panini. Along with the bacon, fresh spinach, and tomatoes, of course!
Some tips to remember:
- Choose a thicker bread for the panini, such as sourdough or Texas toast. This will help ensure that the sandwich does not fall apart when in the panini press.
- Go easy on the dressing. If you put too much on, it will make the bread soft, which then makes it messy and may fall apart.
- This panini is so easy to customize depending on your tastes! Feel free to swap out the chicken for turkey, leave out the spinach, use mayonnaise instead of garlic dressing, etc.
So when your sandwich cravings strike, grab those ingredients and whip up this simple Chicken Bacon Ranch Panini today!
Looking for more 30 minute meals? I’ve got you covered!
- Garlic Parmesan Pasta with Spinach and Mushrooms
- Roasted Parmesan Sweet Potato Quinoa Bowl
- Southwest Chicken and Rice Bowls
Chicken Bacon Ranch Panini
Ingredients
- 2 slices thick bread such as sourdough or Texas toast
- 2 tablespoons roasted garlic ranch dressing divided (if you can't find this particular kind, regular ranch dressing will do)
- ½ cup baby spinach leaves
- 1 cup chopped or sliced fresh chicken I like to use the already shredded rotisserie chicken that you can find near the deli section of your grocery store
- 2 slices Havarti cheese
- 4 slices bacon cooked
- 2 slices tomato
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
Instructions
- Heat a skillet or panini press to medium heat.
- Spread 1 tablespoon of ranch dressing onto each slice of bread. Add spinach leaves, chicken, cheese, bacon, and tomato to one slice of bread. Place second slice of bread on top and spread softened butter over it.
- Place sandwich, buttered side down, onto panini press or skillet. Spread remaining tablespoon of butter on top.
- Press panini maker together and grill for 3-4 minutes, or until bread is golden on the outside and melted on the inside. If using a skillet, take another heavy-bottomed skillet and press on top to brown the bread. Then flip over and brown the other side. Remove from press or skillet and enjoy!
Manali@CookWithManali says 
Gayle says 
